Album review: FAIRYTALE – Forest Of Summer

Magic Mile Music (Release date 01.03.2015)

Fairytale are a German folk trio with a heavy Celtic influence in their writing and playing. ‘German folk’ I hear you cry, where is the rock link there?? The rock link comes in the form of the man behind the project, Oliver Opperman, who is usually found fronting the most excellent metal band, The Ordeal.

Oliver is a fantastic guitarist who is trained in both flamenco and classical guitar and he has also written all the songs on the album. His inspiration for the album is the great outdoors and the power of nature coupled with the odd bit of myth and magic. This makes for a very laid back and relaxing listen, perfect for chilling to on a Sunday morning.

Joining Oliver on the record is Laura on vocals and Berit on vocals and violin, both of whom are trained musicians with years of experience. The combination of Opperman’s guitar work and Berit’s violin is a joy and gives the music a wistful air.

The title track ‘Forest Of Summer’ opens the album in fine style with a lilting melody and gentle vocals which give you a good introduction to the album. ‘Cotton Hill’ continues the melodic Celtic theme and contains a catchy chorus.

‘Palace Of Mirrors’ was the first track released from the album and is one of the more upbeat tracks which allows Oliver to break loose with his acoustic guitar to good effect. The dual vocals from Laura and Berit work really well on this track. ‘Upon The River Stone’ has an almost medieval feel to the melody which gives the track a different dimension.

‘Birds Tune’ again lifts the tempo and is probably one of the most accessible songs on the album. ‘Secret Path’ again allows Oliver and Berit to show off their musical talents in an extended musical interlude, there is an almost prog like feel to this one. ‘White Rose’ rounds off the album in a very upbeat manner with a shuffling rhythm which jogs along at a good pace.

Fairytale have produced an impressive debut album and if you are partial to a bit of folk music then you could do worse than track down a copy. The perfect accompaniment to a relaxing, sunny summer’s afternoon (gin and tonic optional)

****

Review by David Wilson

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